Thanksgiving Reconciliation
by KTfanfic
Summary: Bruce decides it is time to make amends, but will Dick be ready to reciprocate?


Thanksgiving Reconciliation

By KT

Bruce Wayne sat comfortably in his large brown leather armchair. The warm glow from the fireplace lighting the room just enough to see the pictures in the aging photo-album on his lap. He had been perusing one of his family's Thanksgiving day photo-albums, as he did every year around this time.

The book he was looking at was filled with pictures of friends and family taken the year his parents had been killed. The page held a photo of his father preparing to cut the first slice of turkey while he and his mother stood next to him, smiling. Thanksgiving had been a big deal to his parents. They told him that it was a time for friends and family to get together. Every year, even though they had no relatives nearby, the manor had been filled with their closest friends. After their death though, the mansion had held none of the close personal festivities of his youth.

Lately he found himself wishing for those cozy family get-togethers. Bruce sighed, with the current strained relationships of the bat-family, he could not foresee that happening anytime soon. His relationship with Dick was shaky, even though they had attempted several times to make things right. For some reason every time they started to get along something would tear them apart again. Not that he wasn't to blame for some of it, on the contrary.

Now was one of their 'torn apart' periods. It seemed that whenever they fought, one of the bat-family would find a way to fix it; but this time the many attempts had gone down hill. All of the other times it had been someone else to fix the rift.

_Maybe I'm why it never seem to go right,_ Bruce thought.He knew that ever since his parents' death he had been afraid to get close to other people. Fear of them dying or getting hurt sometimes made him push them away. _That's what I've been doing with Dick. Even when we are getting along I seem to push him away, but that's got to change. Maybe it is time for me to make the first move, and I know just the people who would be willing to help._

Resolved to fixing his family's relationships, Bruce set the photo-album down on the table beside him and got up, heading for the kitchen; where he was certain to find Tim and Alfred.

* * *

"Dick, why don't you give it another try?" Barbara pleaded, sitting on a couch in Dick's apartment.

"Why should I? Every time I do **_he_** messes it up!" Dick replied, pacing back and forth, waving his hands in the air. "I'm tired of trying to fix things!"

"I know you are Dick, but this time is different," Barbara said, standing up. "Listen, Bruce is holding a Thanksgiving party tomorrow, please come. He really wants to patch thing up."

"Yeah right," Dick scoffed. "If he wanted that so much why isn't he asking me himself?"

"He tried! You're not answering any of his calls!" Barbara walked over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Dick, believe me, he really does want to fix things! Something's changed in him, I don't know what it is!" Barbara sighed. "Just give it some thought, okay?"

Dick watched as she turned around, walking over to the door. With one last glance at him she opened the door and left. He stared at the door for a few seconds before going over to his secret closet. Once the door was open, he reached in and pulled out his Nightwing suit.

Quickly getting dressed, his thoughts drifted back to what Barbara had said. _Go the party tomorrow? Since when does Bruce hold family related parties?_ He lifted the black mask to his face. The words _maybe he has changed _drifted into his thoughts, but he quickly brushed them aside. Stepping out onto his balcony, Nightwing took one last glance back before leaping into the air.

* * *

Nightwing sighed, carefully searching the room for one of the robbers that had taken cover. He had been out patrolling the city for a couple of hours and was currently responding to a burglar alarm at the Gotham City Mall. Upon entering the building he found the group of men who had broken in. Predictably they had resisted the arrest and fought back. Nightwing had systematically taken down all the robbers but the one he was currently looking for.

Nightwing stopped his search, a banner above a table catching his eye, it said: "All you need for the Thanksgiving dinner!" Glancing down at the table he saw the thief's hand slowly inching toward a gleaming cutting knife on display.

Running toward the table, Nightwing sprung onto a counter obscuring his path. Leaping off it, he flipped in the air, landing softly on the table. The thief gasped in shock, yanking his hand away. "You know, you shouldn't play with knives. Someone might get hurt," Nightwing commented, grabbing the man and pulling him to his feet.

After securely handcuffing the man to a pole, Nightwing walked over to the other unconscious robbers. Kneeling down to cuff them, Nightwing heard a voice come out of the darkness.

"Need a hand with that?" Batman said, stepping out of the shadows.

Nightwing shrugged. "When did you get here?"

"A few minutes ago," Batman bent down to help. "Listen, we need to talk."

"You want to talk?" Nightwing said incredulously. "This coming from the man who is known for his unwavering silence."

"Yes I do," Batman replied. "Let's take this to a more private place, okay?"

Hearing the approaching sirens of the police Nightwing nodded in agreement.

* * *

Bruce leaned back into the driver's seat of the Batmobile, having just driven into the batcave. Pulling off his mask he sighed, knowing that he would not have much time to gather his thoughts before Dick arrived. He knew that Dick was right when he had said he wasn't the most talkative person. Maybe that was why he was having a hard time figuring out what to say to Dick.

The roaring of Nightwing's motorcycle drew him out of his thoughts. Bruce slowly climbed out of the Batmobile and approached Dick who was placing his helmet on the handle bar of his motorcycle.

"Ok, so I'm here. What is it you wanted to talk about?" Dick asked.

_Here goes,_ Bruce thought. "I know we haven't had the best relationship lately. I haven't helped matters, probably made it worse sometimes. I let my fear get in the way of our relationship."

"Your fear?" Dick questioned. "Fear of what?"

"Ever since my parents' death I've been afraid to get close the people I care for. The fear of them dying or getting hurt paralyzes me, so I withdraw. Build up walls so that I won't get hurt again, the problem is in doing so they can't get close to me," Bruce sighed, trying to find the right words. "It wasn't until recently that I realized how much this family means to me and I don't want to let my fears get in the way. I'd like to try and patch things up. I can't say I won't withdraw again; if I do I want you to know that it isn't because I don't care, it's because I do. So, if you are feeling up to it, **_I'd _**be honored if you would join us for Thanksgiving tomorrow morning."

There was a few minutes of silence before Dick replied. "Ok Bruce. I guess I'd be willing to give it another shot." Dick smiled. "Besides, I'd be crazy to refuse Alfred's cooking."

"He is a wonderful cook," Bruce agreed.

"I'm sorry to say you haven't picked up on that skill Master Bruce," Alfred commented, entering the cave. "And will you be spending the night Master Dick?"

"I don't know Alfred," Dick answered uncertainly.

"Come now, you wouldn't want to waste all that hard work I put in to preparing a room, now would you?" Alfred replied.

"Well, if it's ok with Bruce," Dick paused, turning to Bruce.

Bruce smiled and nodded his consent.

"Then all that hard work you did doesn't have to go to waste," Dick finished.

* * *

Dick slowly opened his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he could smell the tantalizing aromas of the Thanksgiving feast. Pulling off the covers, he climbed out of bed. Walking over to the closet, his thoughts wandered to the previous night. He was a little surprised to find that it had been because Bruce cared that he pushed him away. He would have to say that it did make sense though.

Dick was really glad that Bruce had been the one to take the first step. It had always lurked in the back of his mind that Bruce did not care and that everyone else was pushing him to make up. Sure, he had known that wasn't true, but it was a big relief to hear Bruce say he cared.

After quickly getting changed, Dick stepped out into the hall, almost colliding with Barbara.

"Dick, you're here!" Barbara greeted, shifting the boxes in her hands slightly. "What changed your mind about coming?"

"Hi Barb," Dick replied. "Well, I spoke to Bruce last night and I guess you were right."

"So, you've made up?" Barbara questioned.

He nodded, "What is in those boxes, they sure smell good."

"They are some homemade pies," Barbara answered.

"Chocolate cream?" Dick asked, leaning forward to take a look.

"One of them yes, but you are going to have to wait just like the rest of us," Barbara said, resuming her course for the kitchen. "Dick, Bruce wants everyone to meet in the den in about 10 minutes, something about a taking a family photo."

* * *

Bruce glanced up from his place on the couch to see Barbara and Alfred entering the room. "Now that everyone is here, may I have your attention please?" Bruce said, slowly standing up. Once he had everyone's attention, he said, "You are no doubt wondering why I requested this meeting and what this has to do with a photo. Well, you see, when I was younger Thanksgiving was a major holiday to my family. They had this tradition of taking a group photo. Actually, they had the camera going all day long. When the day was over we'd have the film developed and put together an album to remember the day. This tradition hasn't been done in this house since my parents died. I'd like to change that." Bruce paused, taking a deep breath. "I want you to know that I consider you my family and as Dick knows, I'm not very good at expressing that. I'm sorry if my actions have led you to believe otherwise."

"Bruce," Barbara said, stepping forward slightly. "I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say I feel the same way."

"Yeah," Tim agreed.

"Let's get this picture taken, shall we?" Alfred suggested, moving to set up the automatic timer. With that pronouncement, everyone walked to their place in front of the fire. "There we go, it's all set," Alfred said, joining the group.

"Does this mean I can call you Dad now?" Dick asked, just as the camera flashed, capturing Bruce's shock-filled face.


End file.
